December 9, 2009

The Okrug Governor’s press-service informs:

At the Reception House of the RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Savva Morozov’s Mansion) on December 08 it was  held the presentation of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug-Ugra.

It was organized the exposition about life, social and economic development and investment potential of the region, biggest companies. The presentation was made by Governor of Ugra Alexander Filipenko. He welcomed the guests - ambassadors and representatives of embassies of almost one hundred countries and told about the Autonomous Okrug, its role in Russia’s economy, basic data of social and economic development, fields for mutually beneficial cooperation in business.

“The Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug-Ugra is a region - attractive for the implementation of investment programs and also for development and strengthening interaction with regional and foreign partners”, - said Governor. In his opinion, Ugra welcomes people with new ideas, new technological innovations, promising investment projects. The permanent  information exchange and cooperation in different fields are necessary to make the process more active.

“The geographic location of the region between the west and east of Russia resulted in a well-developed network of railways, motor roads, waterways, air routes with towns of Russia and foreign countries”, - emphasized Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergei Lavrov. “It makes the participation of Ugra in interregional interaction, strengthening multilateral economic including international links more effective”.

He also said that Ugra actively interacts with international organizations, UNESCO programs are actively implemented in the region. The Ministry proposes more actively to hold international events in Khanty-Mansiysk.

“In 2008 Khanty-Mansiysk hosted the Summit Russia-EU”. This year the conference of UNESCO Associated Schools took place here. The First International Congress of UNESCO Chairs of Education for Sustainable Development was held in Khanty-Mansiysk”, - said S.Lavrov.

Minister added that the international financial crisis did not influence the interest of the Russian and foreign business towards Ugra. “In spite of the financial crisis interest of international and Russian business to Ugra is still high. By volume of the capital investments the region ranks second in Russia. We can be assured that the strategy, declared by President of Russia Dmitri Medvedev,  which is aimed at modernization and technological renewal of all the production sphere”, - said Sergei Lavrov.

While the presentation  there were speeches made by Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary Ambassador of Canada in the RF Ralph Lysyshyn, Premier of Quebec (Canada), Director General of Salym Petroleum Development H.B. Simon Durkin. Premier of Quebec said: “We have similar reality, similar habitat in the North”. He informed that recently in Canada it has been launched the plan of active industrial development of northern areas of the province and therefore the experience, accumulated in Ugra - very important”, Simon Durkin told about the experience of joint work, aimed at developing the group of oil fields in the Okrug, interaction with the regional government and local government, about social partnerships and work with aboriginals.

At the end of the presentation for the guests it was organized a concert of students of the Center of Arts for Gifted Children of the North. Performers were welcomed by applause.  Minister of Foreign Affairs highly assessed the presentation. In his opinion, the presentation of Ugra was one of the best of 20 ones, made by regions of Russia and hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.